Pay Day
by Lady Jesca
Summary: Buffy finally get's what she deserves...


Author's Notes: Pay Day is a story I'm very proud of. This is what should have happened in Season 6.instead of Buffy humiliating herself and going back to the burger place. Anyway.  
  
It's rated PG-13 and takes place around the Season 6 episode of "Doublemeat Palace". For this story to work, I pretended that the ending of that episode didn't take place. So she doesn't beg her job back. I take no credit for the characters.just this story. They're Joss Whedon's characters.  
  
Enjoy!  
  
*~*~*  
  
The morning sun was rising as Buffy walked in her back door. She was dead tired from slaying that night and needed a bath and to go to bed. Images of a bubble bath danced in her head, but she knew she had to wait. She needed to make sure Dawn got off to school ok before she could indulge.  
  
She put her bag down on the island counter in the middle of her kitchen and narrowed her eyes. Her tired features scrunched up into a disgusted look as she groaned. Dishes from last night's dinner were piled into the sink, waiting for her. Just as they were on most days. Once in a while the dishes would be done, but all too often, she found herself carrying the brunt of the chores around here. What burnt her toast was that half the time, she wasn't even home for dinner. She was too busy patrolling.  
  
Buffy sat on one of the stools and looked out the window above the sink. It was getting to be too much. It had only been a couple days since the infamous freak out at the Doublemeat Palace. Being fired from that place didn't suck as much as working there, but there was no money coming in. Before, while she was working, she was up to see Dawn to school and then she would start on the household chores. After they were pretty much finished, or when she felt she would fall down if she didn't go to bed, she would make her way upstairs. She'd shower and slip into bed, only to have to wake up a few hours later to go back to work. Then after eight or sometimes twelve hours of work, she'd go straight out on patrol. It was starting to wear her down. Even when she was fired from her job, all that meant was that she could kill herself more in backed up housework and slaying. All the while, no money was coming in and money was definitely going out.  
  
She knew that Willow was busy with school, and trying to get over her addiction. Dawn was going to school as well. And with the traffic that went through her house, it was no wonder it always looked a wreck.  
  
"Hey," Dawn said as she walked in the kitchen. She methodically set about to make her lunch. "What's for breakfast?"  
  
Buffy sighed and hoisted herself up, going to the fridge to answer Dawn's question. After a brief inspection, she found that they were pretty much out of everything. Her shoulders slumped.  
  
"How about cereal?" Buffy asked her sister.  
  
"Boring. Besides, we're out. I ate that yesterday." Dawn finished up her sandwich and bagged it, grabbing an apple and some chips for her lunch.  
  
"Well, we don't have anything else." Buffy looked at Dawn, a little exasperated.  
  
"Oh. Well, can I have some money? I'll just stop and get myself something. If I leave now I can still make it on time."  
  
Buffy sighed and pulled out her last five-dollar bill from her pocket. She was saving it for her own lunch, but she guessed it could wait. Dawn smiled and scooped the money up from the counter, where Buffy laid it.  
  
"Thanks." She grabbed her lunch and kissed Buffy's cheek before flouncing out of the house. Buffy watched her leave and then turned to face where Dawn was. The jelly and peanut butter still lay on the counter, opened. The bread was left open as well. Buffy shook her head and started to tidy up the kitchen. This was going to have to stop.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
She smiled when she saw the door to Spike's place. She remembered when she used to come here and kick the door in, wanting some sort of information or help. Now she was still coming for help, but it was different. Now she needed help to feel. But even when they weren't having sex, Buffy felt like being around Spike helped her in ways she couldn't completely fathom.  
  
She had begun telling him things. Little things at first. Nothing that would require her to confide in him too much. But then as time went on, she found that things just slipped around him. Just like when she told him that she had thought she was in Heaven before she was brought back from the dead. She wasn't even sure why she told him that. Just that she had. Sometimes he was all vinegar and vile to be around, but there were times when he affected her with his sugary side.  
  
She opened the door to the crypt, and Spike who was sitting, facing the door, looked like he was expecting her.  
  
"You know, you're getting easier and easier to predict, Slayer. You might want to watch that."  
  
She smiled a little and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Or what?"  
  
"Or, some big bad may try to make you their dinner." He licked his bottom lip, a smile creeping over his face.  
  
"Oh, I think they'll find me gamey and not very tasty to eat," she sighed.  
  
His smile only deepened. "I find you quite tasty."  
  
She chuckled a little and shook her head. She walked over to the slab of stone he was sitting on and sat next to him. She looked down at her hands, but she was very aware of the vampire beside her. Their arms were touching, and the chill of his skin was bringing images to her mind.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
Buffy looked at him. "What?"  
  
"You look a little.peaked. Come on. Tell you're ole friend Spike what the trouble is."  
  
She smiled a ghost of a smile and then looked down at her hands again.  
  
Spike's demeanor changed a little and he hopped off the slab, going to stand in front of her, between her parted legs. He cupped one hand around her cheek, bringing her eyes to his.  
  
"Tell me."  
  
This was the side of him that she could rarely refuse anymore. Feeling washed over her in a way that made her skin tingle as if it were truly alive and her heart beat faster. She knew Spike was aware of the change in her body; he could sense her blood rushing faster. But that just made it all the more intense. It was times like this when she shared more than she intended to with him.  
  
"It's the house. The job, or lack there of. Everything."  
  
Spike's face gave nothing away as he watched her, waiting for the story to come out.  
  
"It isn't easy. I hate that the most. Mom," she swallowed to finish the sentence, "always made it look easy. She worked, hard hours too. She always got the blood out of my clothes and the house fixed after it got trashed. She complained, but she always looked as if she had everything under control. There were never dishes in the sink. She never let them pile up. The laundry was always done. The floors always swept." Buffy's eyes watered a little and Spike continued to wait. "I just wish I knew how she did it." She looked him in the eyes. "She was always there for Dawn when Dawn needed her."  
  
"She didn't slay."  
  
Buffy smiled a little and nodded, sniffling delicately. "No, she didn't. Still, I thought living with Willow would help a little, but she's doing her own thing."  
  
"Help with what?"  
  
Buffy took a deep breath. "The housework. I'm so tired of housework." She leaned forward and placed her forehead on Spike's shoulder. His arms went around her and his fingers laced behind her back, making her feel very comforted. "I come home and there are piles of dishes to do. Don't these people know about one-skillet meals? And there's never any food in the house. Every time I go shopping, I get a few leftovers, all the goodies are always gone, and I rarely eat at home anymore. Especially when I was working. So after I get Dawn to school, clean the kitchen, pick up the living room a little, and make my way upstairs, I get a little bit of sleep before Willow gets home from school and demons aren't as conscientious of my sleeping schedule as vampires are. At least vampires are only out at night." Spike smiled into her hair, closing his eyes as he took in how great if felt to have Buffy coming to him for comfort, and then allowing him to comfort her. "Before I know it, it's time to kill another baddie, and I'm off slaying all night long. I need to get a job, Spike. There is no money coming in, and I know it's only been a few days since I got fired, but the paycheck is already spent and Dawn took my last five dollars today. The only problem is, I already have a job."  
  
"Yeah, too bad you don't get paid for it."  
  
Buffy furrowed her brow and slowly her head came up off his shoulder. Spike was disappointed, but didn't show it. Instead he looked curiously at her face.  
  
"Yes. That is too bad," she said, almost as if her mind wasn't there.  
  
"Here," Spike said as he suddenly left her. Buffy looked confused but followed his movements as he walked to a book and opened it. He came back towards her, something in his hand, and pushed it into hers. She looked down at the forty dollars he put in her hand. "Just to tide you over."  
  
Buffy smiled and looked like she might start to tear up again, but after a moment she tried to push the cash back at him.  
  
"I can't take this, Spike. Not that I don't appreciate the gesture."  
  
"Bugger that. Take it. I'm giving it to you."  
  
Buffy hesitated and Spike knew then that she'd take it. Still, she shook her head. "I really don't want to take advantage of you this way."  
  
Spike smiled a little. "Kind of you to care, pet, but don't worry. I told you back at the burger joint. I can get money. I can take care of you, if you'll only let me in." He gave her a very intense stare as he moved in closer to her. She closed her fist over the money and put her hands on his shoulders, leaning down to give him a kiss.  
  
Unlike most of the kisses they shared, this one was tender and wrought with care. Slowly, the kissing turned more passionate, but the care remained. As they made love, it was slow and deliberately pleasing. It was more like the kind of sex she would have had with Angel or Riley, people she cared very much for. As she and Spike moved together in harmony, Buffy realized that Spike was someone she cared for as well.  
  
Lying in each other's arms, afterwards, Buffy was silently contemplative. She could feel Spike's fingers tracing over her back, and once in a while he would kiss the top of her head. She watched her own fingers trace patterns into his chest. They had never really just lain together. Usually, after sex they'd have to wade through broken furniture to find their clothes and insults would usually start flying before they were dressed. This time it was as if words were not needed and the mood didn't break. Even when she dressed and left, they shared a tender kiss at the door, something that had also never happened before.  
  
As Buffy walked away, into the sunlight, Spike watched until she disappeared. He knew it was only a matter of time before Buffy identified her love for him.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Buffy walked in the house, moving slowly. She carried groceries to the kitchen and smiled at Willow who was in there.  
  
"Buffy, hey. What's up?" She smiled at her friend.  
  
"Nothing." She smiled a little, and Willow frowned, watching her put things away for a moment.  
  
"Are you ok?"  
  
"Yeah, why?"  
  
"I don't know. You look.weird." A thought apparently crosses her mind and she suddenly looks excited. "Is it a boy?"  
  
Buffy, startled by her friend's question, looks at her a little wide-eyed. "A boy? Willow, what are you talking about?"  
  
"Well, you look kind of dreamy, and all happy. I just wondered if you met someone." She waited for the answer as Buffy just looked at her.  
  
"Willow, when would I have time for a boy?" Buffy continued putting things away, keeping her face from Willow.  
  
"I dunno, how about some handsome guy you met while slaying?"  
  
"Will, all the guys I meet while slaying are dead."  
  
"Good point," she conceded. "Well, something has you all happy and glow-y today."  
  
Buffy smiled as she thought of Spike and their tender kiss when she left his place. She was careful, though, to keep her back to Willow.  
  
"I slept well. It's amazing what that will do for you."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Hey, Will?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"I actually need you to do something for me."  
  
"Oh sure, you name it."  
  
"Can you dig up Giles' phone number? I need to talk to him."  
  
"Uh, ok. Is everything ok?"  
  
"Yeah, I just need to check something out."  
  
"Oh. Ok." She smiled. "The number is by the phone."  
  
"Thanks," Buffy smiled. "I got you some more strawberry ice cream. I know you've been craving it more lately. Also, I got Dawn stuff to make lunches with and I picked up a few dinner items. Hopefully they'll last a little longer."  
  
Willow nodded a little. "You'll find something else, Buffy. Don't worry."  
  
"Yeah." Buffy lost the smile and the glowiness about her. Again the weight of her life pushed at her shoulders, obviously threatening to bury her. She tried smiling at Willow before she left and then went to the phone to grab the number. She jotted down the number on another piece of paper and went up to her room and closed her bedroom door.  
  
"Rupert Giles," the familiar voice on the phone said.  
  
"Buffy Summers." She smiled into the phone, glad to hear his voice.  
  
"Buffy! How are you? How's Dawn?"  
  
"Dawn's fine and I'm ok." She paused for a moment. "I need to ask you to do me a favor."  
  
"Of course. What do you need?"  
  
"I need you to get in touch with the Watcher's Council. I need to talk to Travers."  
  
There was a long pause on the phone, and Buffy let him take in the request.  
  
"Is something wrong? Do you need me to come back?"  
  
"No and yes. I'd love for you to come back. But you and I both know that you left here because you thought it was the right thing to do. You've rarely been wrong," she said wryly. "But it's not a new big bad or anything like that. I just.I need the Council's help."  
  
"Buffy, tell me what's going on, please."  
  
"I got a job."  
  
"Oh, that's great!" he said.  
  
"Then I got fired."  
  
"And that's not so great."  
  
"Giles, there's no money coming in. That check you gave me helped so much, but it's gone now. The house is repaired, and if I can keep any demons from visiting, I'll be ok, but things have gotten bad enough that Spike is pushing money my way. I don't want to be here anymore."  
  
"Yes, I can see why. What do you suppose the Council is going to be able to do?"  
  
"Pay me."  
  
There was another silence on the phone. She could almost hear him cleaning his glasses. She smiled at the thought.  
  
"Buffy, I don't understand."  
  
"Well, it occurs to me, all this time, I've been looking for a job, and I already have one. I can't charge people for saving them from demons and vampires, and I know because I already tried that. Look, Giles, they aren't going to have much of a slayer if I can't pay my bills around here. A homeless slayer is not a productive slayer."  
  
"Yes, but, this is most unprecedented."  
  
"So is a slayer who's managed to stay alive long enough to be on her own. I have Dawn to think of and as much as I loathe going to the Council for help, I need to do it for her."  
  
"Alright. I'll plead your case to the Council and contact you as soon as I have word."  
  
"Thanks, Giles. I appreciate that. And if they give you any hell, you let me know."  
  
He chuckled a little before they said their goodbyes.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
It didn't take long before Buffy heard back from Giles. The news, however, was not what she expected. Giles and Travers were coming to Sunnydale.  
  
"The man can't even cut a check without coming out here," Buffy muttered to herself.  
  
The next couple of days were filled with Buffy scrambling to get the housework done. She enlisted the help of Willow, Anya, Xander, and Dawn. Even Spike did a little cleaning. Although he and Xander ended up in a insult match which she had to break up. Needless to say, the men weren't as helpful.  
  
Dawn moaned about her new chores, but Buffy turned a deaf ear her way, too distracted and nervous by Travers coming. Anytime the Council came here, it was trouble. She remembered the last time she saw them, when she basically told Travers that he was no longer in control. Still, if they didn't give her the money she needed, she didn't know what she was going to do.  
  
She knew she couldn't very well quit. With Faith in jail, there was no one else to do the slaying. Besides, demons wouldn't stop targeting her, even if she did stop targeting them. Images of every time she violated something the Council had deemed necessary, floated around in her head. By the time Travers arrived, she had reduced herself to a very worried state.  
  
"Miss Summers," he said as he entered her house. He looked around, his ever-watchful eye scanning her place. The place looked great, but under Travers scrutiny, she started to wonder if they had done enough.  
  
"Please, come in. Sit down. Be comfy." Buffy smiled at Giles, resisting the urge to hug him while Travers was there.  
  
Quinton Travers moved slowly around the house and then finally sat down on the couch. When he was sat, Buffy sank down into a chair. Immediately she jumped up again, making Travers' eyebrows raise.  
  
"Tea." She cleared her throat. "Does anyone want some tea?"  
  
"Yes, thank you," Travers said, politely. She nodded and disappeared into the kitchen. She didn't so much as hear a word from the other room while she was in the kitchen. The silence made her uneasy.  
  
Bringing her mother's old tea set out to them, Buffy poured each a cup of tea, trying to be as gracious as she could. She and Dawn had made cookies the night before, and she put a few on the tray with the tea.  
  
After she was sat again and Travers had taken a sip of tea, he looked at her, silent. Buffy looked from him to Giles, wondering if she was supposed to start. Giles saved her.  
  
"Well, I guess we should get on with the subject at hand."  
  
"Yes." Buffy fidgeted a little. Finally her eyes settled on Travers and she squared her shoulders, determination in her features. "It's time we talk of payment. I've been working for the Watcher's Council off and on for going on seven years now. I've said this world numerous times, died twice in the line of fire, not to mention the many scraps and bruises that come along with the job, and I continually work on top of the Hellmouth to keep this place safe. I've jumped through hoops, I've watched people I care about die, and all the while I've done it for free. I think it's time we talk about me getting a paycheck."  
  
"Rather callous, don't you think, to ask for payment for fighting the good fight." Travers said as his eyebrows raised.  
  
"Well, uh, I don't think so." She fidgeted again. Travers watched her and then took another sip from his tea. Unhurried in his actions.  
  
"I know this is not the way you've ever done it before, but things have to change. I'm on my own now, and responsible for my sister. We've got no income coming in and plenty of money going out. Since demons have found out where I life, I have to repair this place every month it seems. I'm working a dangerous job that inflicts lots of damage on me, and I have no health insurance. I've got bills but I can't get a regular job to pay them because slaying comes first. Since I can't tell everyone about this job, not many other jobs are going to be very forgiving if I'm out all night slaying vampires."  
  
"That never stopped you from telling people before," Travers said dryly.  
  
"Look," Buffy said, irritated, "need I remind you that the Council would be watching nothing if it weren't for me? Either you help me, or-"  
  
"Or what? He interrupted. "You'll stop slaying?"  
  
Buffy narrowed her eyes but said nothing.  
  
"No, I didn't think so." He leaned forward, putting his cup of tea on the table in front of him. "What exactly are you prepared to do if I walk out of without helping you? Nothing. Because there isn't anything you can do."  
  
"Travers." Giles warned from beside him.  
  
"No, it's ok, Giles. He's right. I'm not going to stop saving the world if I'm not paid. Not by my own choice, anyway."  
  
"Explain." Travers said.  
  
"Well, sooner or later, this house is going to be taken away from me. I'm not going to be able to pay the bills and Dawn is going to be put into foster care, which will shift my focus from slaying to keeping her. Suddenly the need for another job will force me to work in any job that will have me, any hours that are necessary. The only person able to slay will then be focusing so hard on other things, domestic things, that it will become increasingly difficult to be as thorough when researching the next apocalypse."  
  
Travers frowned at this.  
  
"Yeah, cuz, it's really hard to be hitting the books all day long when I'm working eight or more hours a day at a job that won't likely forgive me for taking the apocalypse off without a two week notice, which I don't usually have. Pretty soon, I'm going to go through so many jobs here that to be able to take care of my family, I'll need to move to a place where I can work. Move away from the Hellmouth. Then what? You won't have a slayer here anymore, and even though I'll try and help as much as I can with each new threat, commuting is going to make things even more difficult than they were when I was living here, and if I couldn't do it then I'm not going to be able to do it while living someplace else. Dawn is very important to me, and as far as I'm concerned my duty to her is number one. Fighting demons and such, I do it for her now. To make sure she had a safer world to be in. But I'm not going to have her be homeless or living with a foster parent." She paused a moment before continuing. "The Watcher's Council has plenty of money. More than enough to employ me. You employ God know how many watchers who are doing little more than training wannabe slayers that wont' be chosen until Faith's gone. Granted, I thought she would have self-destructed by now, she's alive and kicking, and still has time to serve as far as I know. Even then, you aren't going to want to trust the world to her, are you?" She sat back in her chair and let that sink in. "Now, paying me would ensure that I can remain focused on my studies and saving the world. Giving me and Dawn health insurance and life insurance will keep me and the Council on good terms."  
  
Giles looked proud of her. Travers waited a moment and then chuckled.  
  
"You're a rather tenacious little thing, aren't you?" He smiled. "Life insurance? How long do you expect to live, Miss Summers?"  
  
"Well, I didn't really expect to live this long, but here I am. It isn't like killing me has really done the trick, has it?" she answered.  
  
"Quite. For the Watcher's Council to pay you, that would indicate that you work for us, and not the other way around. A situation I would have thought you would want to keep from happening."  
  
"Actually all it would really mean is I continue doing what I'm doing and you continue doing what your doing, and I get a paycheck every week. Really, that's all it means."  
  
"And how will I know the Council's money will be well spent."  
  
She narrowed her eyes and leaned toward him. "Every morning you wake up, every day that has a tomorrow, you'll know your money is being well-spent."  
  
Travers watched her for a moment, taking another sip from the tea in front of him. "And exactly how much were you hoping for?"  
  
Buffy felt her stomach flutter, but she tried to keep the victory off her face.  
  
"Well seeing as the job is requiring me to live on a Hellmouth, it is exceedingly physical and dangerous, and requires me to work all hours of the day or night, all holidays, and every weekend, I was thinking something around $50,000 a year." She paused as Travers' surprised look crossed his face. "Also, for reasons stated above, I'll require an extremely good health insurance, dental and optical included, repairs to the house paid when demons accost my house, and life insurance, so I know Dawn is taken care of when I can't take care of her anymore. Also, I'm not alone in what I do. Willow spends countless hours looking things up for me and helping me research things, Xander is out on the field with me constantly, helping me kill vampires and researching. Everyone pitches in."  
  
"You don't ask for much, do you?" Travers said sarcastically.  
  
Buffy just stared at him, watching him make his decision.  
  
"Just how much do you think your friends' contribution should be worth?"  
  
"Even if you paid them minimum wage it would be something. Or, you could allocate me enough to pay them."  
  
He thought about this for a moment.  
  
"And how will I know the repair bills you send us will be because of demon activities?"  
  
Buffy frowned. "You trust me to save the world, but not to tell the truth?"  
  
He smiled a little. "Buffy, all people who get a pay check from the Council have certain checks they must go through. Usually they have a supervisor of some kind. You have neither. The checks, or hoops as you're fond of putting it, are irrelevant because you will only continue doing things your way anyway, and you're watcher lives in England."  
  
She looked at Giles who was sitting there, a thoughtful look on his face.  
  
"Well," she swallowed, "you could." she tried to think of a solution. She wanted Giles to come back, but she wasn't sure he wanted to. And she certainly didn't want another watcher.  
  
"I'll move back."  
  
Both Buffy and Travers looked at Giles. Buffy smiled a little and Giles returned her smile.  
  
"I am her watcher after all."  
  
"Yes, you are," Travers said dryly. "Alright. The Council accepts your terms." He opened up a briefcase and started to take out the paperwork.  
  
Buffy smiled, joy obviously written on her face.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"So did she tell you what this was about?" Dawn said to Willow who shook her head and shrugged. Anya, Xander, and Spike were also assembled in the living room of the Summers' house. Buffy wasn't there yet but she had called a Scooby meeting and everyone was antsy about what new baddie had required them to assemble.  
  
The whispering among the group stopped when the front door opened. Buffy and Giles walked through, making many people smile. As Giles walked into the living room, he was greeted with warm hugs and smiles from all but Spike. His eyes followed the slayer.  
  
Buffy looked over at Spike and smiled to him a little before turning her attention to the group.  
  
"Ok, so you're all probably wondering why I asked you here."  
  
The room got quiet as everyone waited.  
  
"As you all know, Quinton Travers came here with Giles from the Watcher's Council. I didn't want to tell anyone why I was meeting with the Council until I had some news, but the meeting went very well." She smiled. The group looked at her differently, all noticing a weight that had been lifted off of her shoulders.  
  
"Remember a while ago when Anya suggested I charge people for killing demons?"  
  
"And it's still a good idea," Anya said, making people smile and chuckle.  
  
"Well, it occurred to me," she stole a glance at Spike, "that I was charging the wrong people."  
  
"So the Council's gonna pay you?" Willow asked, excitedly.  
  
"Yes. They've agreed to start paying me for the job, as well as giving me health insurance and life insurance." She looked at Dawn. "In case something happens to me. Again." She smiled and Dawn smiled back. "So no more worrying about the bills."  
  
"And what did they want in return?" Xander asked. "Cuz the Council's not big on the giving without receiving."  
  
Buffy smiled. "Well, I'm glad you asked. We decided to give them you."  
  
Xander looked surprised and Buffy bust out laughing, indicating her joke. Everyone laughed with her, even Spike, happy to see her smiling and laughing.  
  
"Seriously though, all he asked was that someone be here to officiate the funds. So." she looked at Giles, "Giles is staying."  
  
The room erupted as happy voices rose to tell him how glad they were that he was staying.  
  
"There's more."  
  
The room quieted again.  
  
"I also talked to Travers about you guys. How you guys are always helping me out and all while doing your own thing, whether that be working or going to school. So.he agreed to pay you guys for the work you do." Everyone looked surprised and they all looked at each other, smiling. "It's not much, but it's something. They're giving the money to Giles, and he will be paying you all for the work you do.  
  
"Wow, this is great!" Willow exclaimed. "It's like we're really apart of the whole Council thing."  
  
Buffy smiled. "You always were, Will. The only difference is now you'll be getting paid for it."  
  
Buffy looked over at Spike, who was watching her intently. She smiled at him, and he smiled in return as he touched his tongue to his lower lip. Buffy's cheeks started to pinken and she quickly looked away from him, hearing his chuckle when she did. Things were going to be all right.  
  
As people left that night, Buffy hung around downstairs. Giles was staying with them, until he found a place to stay. She waited until he had gone upstairs before she cornered Willow and Dawn in the kitchen.  
  
"Hey, guys? Can I talk to you about something?"  
  
Both of them nodded, nibbling on the cookies that were left over from Travers visit.  
  
"Lately I've been feeling kind of alone on the cleaning front. I mean, I appreciate the help you guys gave when Travers came, but often times, I'm doing dishes after slaying all night long, and they're usually dishes from the dinner I didn't get to eat." She looked at the two of them as they exchanged guilty looks. "Hey, I don't mean to bring down the mood of the night, but I was thinking it would help a lot if maybe we split up the chores. Like, Dawn, you probably should learn how to do your own laundry. That way all three of us are doing laundry and it's split up. And dinner dishes should be done after dinner; maybe you guys could take turns. And when I'm home, I could do them too. If we all pick up after ourselves and make sure the living room is straightened up, I can make sure the dusting and vacuuming gets done. I just need a little help around here, is all."  
  
"Buffy, I'm sorry. I guess I didn't realize that I wasn't helping so much in the cleaning department. Of course I'll help out."  
  
Buffy looked at Dawn. She made a face that indicated her feelings about housework. "I guess you're right. I'll help."  
  
Buffy smiled. "Thanks guys. I feel better already."  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Buffy walked in the back door, groaning in pain from the workout the vampires put her through last night. She touched brought one hand up to rub her stiffening neck and thought fondly about the bath she would take before she laid down.  
  
She instinctively headed towards the sink to do the dishes, but stopped when she saw the sink sparkling clean, no dishes in it.  
  
"Hey, Buffy, how'd it go last night?" Dawn said as she entered the house. She went straight for the fridge and started making herself a sandwich for lunch.  
  
"Oh, pretty brutal. I'm kind of stiff-Buffy at the moment."  
  
"That bad, huh? Well sit down, I'll make us some eggs." Dawn set her bagged lunch aside and put away the fixings, rinsing off the knife she used to make the sandwich with.  
  
Buffy smiled and took a seat. "Sounds good to me."  
  
Dawn quickly moved around the kitchen grabbing eggs and a frying pan, and started to prepare breakfast.  
  
Buffy smiled as she watched her. Suddenly her life didn't look too glum. She felt better than she had in a long time. As Giles joined them for breakfast and the house became a frenzy of activity, Buffy just sat back and watched. She was glad her family was all together again. The chores were split more evenly, and she had begun to think of ways to get Sunnydale UC to take her back so she could get an education. And best of all, today was pay day. 


End file.
